Eddie Hearn believes that Anthony Joshua could completely outbox Deontay Wilder and has urged him to avoid a firefight with the American knockout artist.
Hearn, the career-long promoter of Joshua, is in negotiations with Saudi-based promotional company, Skills Challenge Entertainment to stage a long-awaited meeting with Wilder in January in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua secured his first stoppage in almost three years and second victory since back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk by ruthlessly knocking out Robert Helenius in the seventh round last Saturday.
‘AJ’ took six rounds longer to blow away Helenius than Wilder, 37, did when he starched the Finn inside the opening round last October.
The 32-year-old’s cautious start was met with boos from large sections of the O2 crowd, however Hearn believes he could adopt a similar approach to overcome Wilder, rather than be drawn into a shootout with the Alabama man who has recorded 42 of his 43 wins by knockout.
“If he boxes like that and beats Deontay Wilder, everyone will be saying how sensible it is,” Hearn told Boxing Social.
“To go in and start trading with Wilder like he used to, you’re just making it a pure 50-50.
“I don’t see the point. Why have a shootout when you can outbox him?
“He’s still got to be more active, but he will outbox Wilder everyday of the week.
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“I cannot believe how highly people rate Deontay Wilder, having never beaten one elite heavyweight.
“He has never beaten a top five heavyweight. Luis Ortiz is his best win, who with all due respect is in his ’40’s.
“He was getting smashed in the first fight and by the way in the second fight he was 7-0 down in rounds, but he’s got the equaliser and he’s very dangerous.”
Matchroom CEO Frank Smith held a meeting with Joshua, his management team, 258 MGT and the Chairman of Skills Challenge, Prince Khaled Bin Abdulaziz on Thursday, with a view to finalising terms for the bout.
Wilder’s trainer, Malik Scott told Pro Boxing Fans last week that ‘The Bronze Bomber’ could take a fight in October before facing Joshua, having not been in the ring since stopping Helenius.
